


Baby Teeth, Baby Steps

by Alice_Rolfe



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2014-06-21
Packaged: 2018-02-05 14:04:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1821010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alice_Rolfe/pseuds/Alice_Rolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In all honesty, Percy Jackson knew that bringing a moody pre-teen to the dentist wasn’t the best idea. He just forgot to factor in that this particular moody pre-teen spent the majority of his time amongst the dead, but hey, when someone gets their teeth knocked out on your watch, it’s usually your job to get them back in shape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby Teeth, Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this after being inspired by [this post](http://potterhead916.tumblr.com/post/89233225108/somebody-needs-to-write-me-a-fanfiction-where). It was supposed to be like 500 words I’m not even sure what happened. Comment with any new fic ideas you may have or send them to [my blog](http://alice-rolfe.tumblr.com/ask) and I'll write the ones I like (usually at 2 AM ^_^)

"Nico, duck!" Percy screamed, but even his half god reflexes weren’t enough to warn Nico in time. The hydra tail whistled through the air as it hurtled toward Nico and threw him to one of the near mountainsides. Percy breathed a sigh of relief when Nico was able to use the last bits of his strength to manipulate the Earth for a softer landing.

"Nico, hey, are you alright?" Percy yelled as he attempted to jog over, but the hydra wasn’t letting him go anywhere.

Alright fine Percy thought. Hydra first, Nico later.

Calling on the power Annabeth feared, Percy twisted and churned the hydra’s bodily fluid until it was choking and drowning in its own saliva. He’d promised Annabeth he would never use that power again. He grimaced as he realized he and Annabeth had more problems than that lately.

Concentrate, Percy. He thought to himself. Focus on the hydra, help Nico, and worry about Annabeth later.

By the time Percy had reduced the hydra to a heap of giant lizard, his strengthen was just about zapped, and he practically dragged himself over to where Nico was just beginning to pick himself back up.

"Hey, are you okay… Oh my gods are those teeth?" Percy shouted in horror.

Nico just blinked and rubbed his shoulder, flinching in pain.

"Nico how hard did it hit you? I didn’t even see you get hit in the face I thought-"

"They’re baby teeth, Percy" Nico spat, cutting Percy off as blood dribbled down his chin from his mouth.

Percy couldn’t help but smile. “You still have your baby teeth?” What with all Nico’s quiet rage and brooding ‘Ghost King’ persona, Percy had almost forgotten just how young the kid was.

"Shut up, Jackson. There’s only one left anyway, so don’t think you can go around babying me"

Percy held his palms up in defense. “I wasn’t going to baby you”, he lied. “But what about we get some nectar and ambrosia in you to help that shoulder? Here let me see…”

As Percy reached a hand out to run his palm over Nico’s injured shoulder, he locked eyes with the Ghost King for the smallest fraction of a second, and saw something there he couldn’t place. Fear? Maybe. Sadness? Nico always seemed sad though. Anger? More like hatred. Yes, that was probably it. Hatred. Percy shook the feeling of misery that crept through him at the idea. For a small moment, Percy had dared to hope he’d befriended Nico di Angelo again, thought that this quest had brought them closer, and a bit of bro time is just what Percy needed seeing as Annabeth seemed to be constantly angry at him all the time nowadays.

"So… You gonna get me that ambrosia?" Nico asked with one eyebrow raised.

Percy shook himself out of his daze, and put on his best troublemaker smile. “Yeah, you can eat it on the way”

"On the way…?" Nico questioned hesitantly.

"Can you shadow travel us somewhere?"

"Depends how far" Nico said with a shrug that caused him to grimace from his injured shoulder.

"Actually, on second thought, eat it now" Percy said as he practically shoved an ambrosia square in Nico’s mouth. "My mom can take us".

"Take us where?"

"You’ll see. It’s a surprise" Percy responded with a mischievous grin as he took out a gold drachma and his water bottle.

ONE CAR RIDE WITH SALLY LATER…

"I hate surprises" Nico said dryly the moment they walked up to the dentist office. "Why are we here?"

"So you can get that last baby tooth pulled" Percy laughed throwing an arm around Nico’s shoulder.

Nico practically shadow travelled from under Percy’s grasp, and Percy’s brows knit in concern. “What’s wrong? I thought your shoulder healed in the car”.

"Do not touch me, Jackson. Ever." Nico said coldly.

"Sorry I thought-"

"Don’t think. It’s not exactly your strong suit, now are you gonna drive me out of here or am I gonna have to shadow travel in front of all these mortals?"

"You’re not going anywhere" Percy hissed through his teeth as his hands balled into fists.

Whoa. Percy thought. Anger. Why am I so angry at Nico leaving? He leaves all the time. Percy dismissed the feeling. Maybe it was because he’d come to actually like Nico’s company throughout their quest, or maybe it was just the fact that he felt a personal responsibility to seeing this kids last baby tooth get pulled. Whichever.

"Nico, they’re ready for you, oh. Um, am I interrupting something…" Sally chewed her bottom lip taking in each boy’s rigid battle stances.

And just like that, Nico cracked under Percy’s stare. “No, Ms. Jackson, it’s fine”.

Sally looked between the two. Nico seemed as sullen as always, but Percy appear downright uncomfortable or was he anxious? Teenagers. She couldn’t tell.

"Right, so whenever you’re ready" she said with a smile and went to sit in one of the lobby chairs.

When Sally was out of earshot, Nico turned back to Percy looking, in that moment, every bit like the kid he was. “So, so I won’t go anywhere” Nico stammered “but only if you come back there with me” he finally jumbled out.

Percy almost laughed until he saw how serious Nico was. Serious and frightened. He smiled gently. “Sure, Nico.”

The nurse, Amy, led them down some hallways and sat Nico in a room in the back, checked all throughout his mouth, and then informed the pair of boys that Nico’s teeth had some crowding in the back and it’d be best for him in the long run to remove the trouble makers now. Percy will never forget the look of fear Nico cast his way.

Sure. Percy thought. He can fight monsters but Hades forbid he get some teeth pulled.

"I’ll just talk to your mom, and we can get everything sorted so that everything can get done in one easy appointment" Amy said with the same grin she’d been sporting the whole appointment.

The minute Amy had strode out the door, Nico shot Percy a look that very clearly conveyed: I’m getting out of here.

Without thinking, Percy gripped Nico’s wrist to prevent him from shadow traveling away and met him with a hard stare.

"What did I say about touching me, Jackson?" Nico almost screamed in response.

Percy loosened his grasp but didn’t let him free. “I’ll let you go when you promise me that you won’t leave”

No response.

"Dammit, Nico, you can’t just shadow travel away from all your problems" Percy cried desperately. "People need you around sometimes and you can’t just run away from them because you’re afraid to be loved by someone, Nico. You can’t just run away from me!" Percy shouted and Amy burst through the door with an older woman in tow. Percy released Nico.

"Right, so everything is all squared away, and Doctor Pepper here will fix you right up" Amy made her way out the door as the other woman strode forward. Nico searched for Percy’s arm as his eyes widened in fear.

"I’m right here" Percy said softly so only Nico could hear and tentatively laid his palm over Nico’s hand furrowing his brow at the flush that seemed to creep up the younger boy’s neck.

"Alright then Mr. Di Angelo, oh Italian, huh? Neat, my sister-in-law is Italian" the doctor said as she rapped a pen on her clipboard chart.

"Could we just cut to the chase, doc?" Nico spat.

Percy forced back a smile. “Sorry, he’s just a bit cranky”.

Doctor Pepper chuckled. “Well this laughing gas outta clear that right up”

"Um what’s laughing-"

Before Nico could even finish his question, she was strapping on the mask, allowing the nitrous oxide to pump through, and in a few short minutes, was pulling Nico’s teeth.

She did her work quickly; Percy had to commend her on that. Within an hour, she had Nico all patched up and was removing his mask. A big, dopey grin stretched itself across Nico’s face and his shoulders slumped in a giggle that, if Percy was being honest, was pretty adorable.

"Percy" Nico whispered before erupting into a fit of giggles.

“What?” Percy asked with a smile as he rolled his chair beside Nico.  
"I want…" Nico said before his words were drowned in another storm of laughter.

"What do you want, Nico?" Percy asked in that genuinely good nature he had as he tickled Nico’s stomach. Hey, this might be the only time he would get to see Nico really smile and laugh in a long time. He planned on making it worth while.

Nico giggled again. “A kiss!” He yelled. “I want a Percy kiss!”

Percy laughed and ruffled Nico’s hair before leaning forward to give him the loudest, most obnoxious kiss on the forehead.

"No, no, no" Nico whined, but the grin was still ever present and Percy could hardly stop himself from smiling either. "No, I want a Percy kiss like Annabeth"

For a second, Percy’s grin vanished in confusion. He smirked. “What do you mean a Percy kiss like Annabeth?”

"I mean" more giggles "that I’m in LOVE with YOU ya dum dum and I want an Annabeth kiss" Nico yelled.

Before Percy had time to even process what he heard, Nico reached up to cup Percy’s face with his hands, and pulled him down until their lips met.


End file.
